Getting the Winning Edge for Your Client: ADR in Sports

Hon. Nancy Holtz (Ret.) comes to JAMS with over 30 years of experience as a Judge, attorney, and ADR practitioner. In 15 years on the bench, the Judge Holtz has handled countless complex business disputes and commercial cases of all kinds involving breach of contract, shareholder rights, closely held corporations, corporate freeze outs, partnerships, joint ventures, intellectual property, franchising, and other commercial cases. She has also presided over construction cases, entertainment/sports cases, insurance cases as well as professional liability (medical, legal, architects), employment, wrongful death, and other personal injury actions.

Judge Holtz is a recipient of the Daniel F. Toomey Excellence in the Judiciary Award in recognition of her intellect, fairness and judgment. She is known for her charismatic style and ability to help each side analyze the strengths and weaknesses of a case. Judge Holtz has become a “go to” mediator for high stakes and complex matters when parties want a real “closer.”

Judge Holtz’s rich experience as a trial attorney, trial judge, and now as an ADR practitioner make her uniquely suited to complex matters. Her communication and interpersonal skills help assist attorneys and the parties navigate through the emotional and personal factors which can be found in even the most complicated factual or legal disputes. In short, Judge Holtz understands that all parties have a perspective which must be heard, respected, and taken into consideration.

Jeffrey Benz, Esq., FCIArb, CEDS, is a nationally recognized expert in the resolution of complex and multi-party matters. Mr. Benz has served as a neutral in several hundred large and complex arbitrations and mediations employing various rules and before the major administering institutions, both nationally and internationally. Mr. Benz has been outside counsel (both transactional and litigation), inside counsel, and client, and he brings this well-rounded perspective on dispute resolution to serving as a neutral.

Mr. Benz is available for arbitrations, mediations, fact finding, early neutral evaluation, and serving as special master or discovery referee nationwide and worldwide. He is a Certified E-Discovery Specialist (CEDS) through the Association of Certified E-Discovery Specialists.

Mr. Benz is known for creative solutions, high energy and unflagging persistence to drive solutions. His sense of humor helps with confronting difficult conversations and solve seemingly intractable problems. As an arbitrator Mr. Benz shapes the process with an eye toward efficiency and fairness, borne of his background as lawyer and client.